Lasts



2 Sheets-Shet l Sept. 17, 1957 A. R. HUBBARD ET A1.

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Filed Sept. 26, 1955 l Sept. 17, 1957 Filed Sept. 26. 1955 A. R. HUBBARDET AL LASTS .2 sheets-sheet 2 United States Patent LAsrs Arthur R.Hubbard and Adolph S. Dorosz, Beverly, Mass., assignors to United ShoeMachinery (,orporan tion, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication September 26, 1955, Serial No. 536,444

21 Claims. (Cl. 12-133) This invention relates to lasts, and isillustrated herein as embodied in an improved last suitable for use inthe automatic manufacture of shoes.

Prior to the `development of automatic shoemaking machines thepositioning of the shoe relatively to the operating tools of a machinehas been a most important function of the operator, upon whose skill andattention the `accuracy of the operation depends to a considerableextent. It is evident that the labor saving advantages of an automaticmachine will be of no avail unless the Work is accurately positioned inthe machine Without requiring an operators attention.

Certain machines have, in the past, been provided with jacks or supportsfor a last which are movable in a predetermined path to present a shoeon a last to the operating tools of the machine. However, insufficientconsideration has been given to the positioning of the last relativelyto the jack or support to insure that the relation between the shoe andthe machine, when the operation is carried out, is established andmaintained as accurately as is desirable if the machine is to beunattended. Moreover, it is necessary that both right and left lasts bepositioned `on the jack r support in the same position for `one type ofoperation such, for example, as fa heel part operation, and if .ftheshoes are to be subjected to an operation upon another part thereof,such as the forepart or toe end, then the lasts must be positioned in aVdifferent rela-tion to the jack or support.

lt is contemplated that lasts carrying shoes to be operated upon bepresented to an automatic machine on pallets which are moved in apredetermined path into operative relation to the machine, as in theinstance disclosed in United States application of A. S. Dorosz, SerialNo. 607,363 tiled on August 31, 1956.

In view of the foregoing, it is one object of the invention to providean improved last characterized by the fact that it has positioning meansin the form of indicia or surfaces thereon suitable for cooperating witha pallet, such as that disclosed in the above-mentioned Doroszapplication, for positioning lasts, whether rights or lefts, in eitherof two predetermined relations to the pallet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved last havingpositioning indicia or surfaces thereon suitable for cooperating, in asimilar manner, with a pallet of the type disclosed in detail in UnitedStates application Serial No. 536,443 of A. S. Dorosz, liled onSeptember 26, 1955. ln the latter instance, each pallet is adapted tohold either a right last or a left last, but not both, and theconstruction and arrangement of the positioning indicia or surfaces onthe lasts embodying the invention is such as not only to cause thelasts, when assembled uplon the pallets, to be positioned thereonproperly in, either one of two relations, but also to prevent thecomplete assembly of mismatching lasts and pallets if it is attempted to'assemble either a right or left last upon a pallet of the other hand.

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The above and other objects of the invention are fullled by theillustrative last disclosed herein, the various novel features of whichwill appear from the following detailed description and will be setforth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view of ya last embodying the invention;

Figs. 2, and 3 are diagrammatical views illustrating the positioning ofa last (bottom up) of the type shown in Fig. l, by one form ofpositioning means on a pallet for holding this type of last;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of another form of pallet embodying a second formof means for positioning a last of the type shown in Fig. l upon thepallet; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatical views illustrating the positioning ofthe illustrated last (bottom up) upon the pallet of Fig. 4.

The illustrative last L (Fig. l) has ixed upon the top of its heel part,by means of the usual thimble or socket 30 and a pin 32, a positioningplate 34 having formed thereupon at its forward end a set of twopositioning surfaces 36 which are symmetrically placed with respect tothe center line LCL (Fig. 2) of the last which passes through theextremities of the last and the axis of the socket 30, and corresponds,approximately, to the turning axis of the last.

The surfaces 36 fare vertical and constitute shoulders which are equallyspaced laterally of the last at each side of the center line LCL `andalso are parallel to this center line.

The positioning plate is also provided with a second set or pair ofpositioning surfaces 38 which are spaced from each other Ilaterally ofthe last the same as the surfaces 36 but are odset, laterally of thelast, with respect to the surfaces 36. Although the surfaces 38 areunsymmetrically related to (that is, unequally spaced from) the centerline LCL, they are, however symmetrically related to, and equally spacedfrom, the center 'line HCL of the bottom of the heel part; and the angleby which the two sets of the positioning surfaces 36, 3S are offsetlaterally from each other corresponds to the angle of swing between theforepart and heel part of the last.

inclined to and connecting the positioning surfaces 36, 38 at both sidesof the plates are surfaces or shoulders 40 which are substantial-lyparallel to each other and are 'slightly staggered lengthwise of theplate.

This arrangement of positioning surfaces 36, 38 and inclined shoulders40 results in a positioning plate having an asymmetrical profile asviewed in plan, there being a lobe 42 at one side of the plate at itsforward end upon which one of the positioning surfaces 36 is formed,this surface being shorter than the opposite surface 36. The positioningsurface 3S at the side of the plate having the lobe 42 is longer thanthe opposite surface 38 on the same side of the plate with the longersurface 36.

lt is to be understood that right and left lasts carry identicalpositioning plates, as described above, the plates being assembled,either one side or the other up, upon the lasts and, for distinguishingbetween right and left lasts, it is noted that the above-mentionedlobe42 is always at the inside of the last as viewed from above.

The rear end of the plate has formed' therein a notch 44 suitable forreceiving a member, such 'as a spring clip 46 on the pallet shown inFig. 4, for holding the last assembled upon the pallet.

The positioning of the illustrated last for either a heel part orforepart operation will next be described with reference to thestructure disclosed in the first-mentioned Dorosz application. In thisinstance, a pallet is provided with a slide 54 (Figs. 2 and 3) having apair of fingers 55 which project upwardly through elongated slots 56formed 1n a plate 57 from which there projects upwardly a last pm 58adapted to be received in the thimble or socket30-of'theillustratedlast. The fingers 55 -are spaced so asto receivebetween themeither set of positioning sur'- 'faces '-36, 38 and aremoved into operative relation to oneset of positioningsurfaces when apin 59, which is fixed to the slide 54, is moved into a restrictedportion of a cam groove 60 formed in a fixed earn` 61.. As is describedin the first-mentioned Dorosz application, the cam groove 60 has theshape shown in Fig. 2 for an operating station .where a heelpartoperation is to be performed. In this case, as the pallet ismoved tocarry Vthe pin 59 into the throat or restricted portion of the camgroove 60, the lingers 55 are positioned in coopera- Ative Vrelationwith the set of positioning surfaces 38. Accordingly, the heelV partcenter lines HCL of both n'ght and left lasts, being coincident witheach other and lwith the center line PCL of the pallet, are disposed inthe same relation with respect to the pallet as well as to a machine towhich the pallet is presented.l

If the shoemaking operation involved is to be performed upon-theforepart the cam 61, associated with such an operating station, has acam `groove 60 of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 and, upon movement ofthe pin 59 into the throat of the cam groove, the fingers 55 will be-moved into cooperative relation to the set of positioning surfaces 36whereby, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the center lines LCL of Vboth rightand left lasts are brought into coincidence with each other and thecenter line PCL of fthe-pallet. Accordingly, the toe ends of the lastshave '-the same relation to the pallet, as well as to a machine itorwhichthe pallet is presented.

When the fingers 55 are moved from one set of posiftioning surfaces tothe other, they cooperate with the `inclined shoulders 40'to swing thelast from one side to the other according to the offset relation of thetwo sets -of positioning surfaces 36, 38, the inclined shoulders 40`being substantially parallel to each other and staggered lengthwiseofthe plate so as to receive the ngers 55 with a free sliding fitthroughout their movement.

l"In another application ofthe illustrated last and posi- -tioning plateto the positioning of the last for either a heel VpartV or forepartoperation, .disclosed in the above-mentioned1Dorosziapplication.SerialNo. 536,443, a pallet 70 (Fig. 4) is provided with a last pin 72 adaptedto be re- `lcerivedsin thethimble 30 of the illustrated last and has'formed in its sides, equally spaced from the pin 72 and from the centerline PCL of thel pallet at each side thereof, recesses 74 in which aremounted lugs 76, 78. The lower -portions'of the lugs, which fit closelywithin the recesses 74, have the same length and formas the recesses doso that the lugs are interchangeable in the recesses. Both lugs protrudeabovethe upper surface of the pallet so as to overlap the edges of thepositioning plate 34 of a last Tfully seated upon the pallet and theupper part of the lug V'76, Vwhich projects above the upper surface ofthe pallet, isonly one-half as long as the lug 78.

With the lugs 76, 78 installed upon the pallet 70 in the arrangementillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5-L, the pallet 'is made a left pallet forpositioning a left last suitably for the performance of a heel partoperation, the lugs 76,

-78 nowrbeing arranged to cooperate with the positioning Vsurfaces 38which are symmetrical with respect to the heel part center line HCL onthe last. If the lugs are inverted, from side to side on the pallet,into the arrangement -illustrated in Fig. S-R, the pallet is made aright pallet and, because of the manner in which the lugs cooperate withthe positioning surfaces 38, a right last will be positioned upon theright pallet with its heel'part center line coincident withithe palletcenter line.

If, starting with the arrangement of lugs 76, 78 shown in Fig. S-R, thelug 76 is inverted so that its operative portion is forward (Fig. 6-L),opposite to a positioning surface 36 on the positioning plate of a lastfully seated upon the pallet, the pallet is made a left palletandpositions a left last with its center line LCL in alinement with thecenter line PCL of the pallet. With an inversion of the lugs 76, 78shown in Fig. 6-L, from side to side on the pallet, the pallet is madeinto a right pallet (Fig. 6-R) which receives a right last with itscenter line LCL coincident with the center line PCL of the pallet.

The above-mentioned arrangements of the lugs 76, 78 make the palletseither right or left pallets for, as explained in the last mentionedDorosz application, the complete assembling of a nonmatching last with apallet is prevented by interference between the positioning plate on thelast and the lugs.

While the usefulness of positioning means, as disclosed herein, is notlimited to any particular kind of last, their value is most fullyrealized when they are used upon a geometrically graded last asdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,948,547, granted on anapplication of L.. E. Topham. Because of the accuracy with which suchlasts are made, various relations between different parts 'of thelastscan be as accurately represented by than a limitation thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A last having a socket and sets of positioning shoulders formed uponits heel part, said sets being offset from each other one at each sideof said socket, the shoulders of one set being positioned-in apredetermined relation to the forepart of the last and the shoulders ofIanother set being positioned in a predetermined relation to its heelpart.

2. Alast having two sets of positioning means formed upon its heelpart,portions of each set of positioning means being spaced laterally lof thelast identically with the spacing of corresponding portions of the otherset, said sets of means being angularly spaced from each other inaccordance with the angle of swing of the last.

3. A last having sets of positioning shoulders formed upon its heelpart, the shoulders of one set being arranged to extend lengthwise ofthe last and being disposed in a predetermined relation'to a portion ofthe forepart of the last and the shoulders of another set being arrangedat an angle to said first-mentioned shoulders and in a predeterminedrelation with respect to a portion ofthe heel part of the last.

4. A last having a positioning plate upon which are formed two sets ofpositioning surfaces, said sets being offset from each other laterallyof the last, said plate being lrigidly fixed `to the top of the heelpart of the last withone set of said surfaces in a predeterminedrelation to the heel part Iof the last and with the other set ofsurfaces in a predetermined relation with respect to the forepart of thelast.

5. A last having two sets of positioning shoulders formed upon its'heelpart, the shoulders of one set being equallyfspaced from and at oppositesides of the center line of the last, and the shoulders of the other setbeing equally spaced from and at opposite sides of the center line ofthe heel part.

set being parallel and symmetrical with respect to the center line ofthe last, and the shoulders of another set being parallel andsymmetrical with respect to the center line of the heel part.

8. A last having a socket the axis of which is intersected by the centerlines of the last and its heel part and sets of positioning shouldersformed upon its heel part spaced from said socket, the shoulders of oneset being symmetrically disposed with respect to the center line of thelast, and the shoulders of another set being symmetrically disposed withrespect to the center line of the heel part of the last.

9. A last having two sets of positioning shoulders upon its heel part,the shoulders of each set being spaced laterally of the last identicallywith the spacing of the shoulders of the other set, said sets ofshoulders being spaced from each other laterally of the last by theangle between its center line and the center line of the heel part.

10. A last having formed in its heel part a socket and a pair ofpositioning surfaces spaced from each other laterally of the last andarranged symmetrically with respect to an axis extending longitudinallyof the last between said surfaces and through the axis of said socketanother portion of the heel part having a second pair of positioningsurfaces formed therein asymmetrically with respect to said axis.

11. A last having fixed upon its heel part a positioning plate upon theopposite sides lof one portion of which are formed positioning surfaces,the sides of another portion of the plate having the same spacing asthat of said surfaces but being unequally spaced from a center linebetween said surfaces.

12. A last having fixed upon its heel part a positioning plate having asocket and a set of positioning surfaces, formed upon one portion of theplate, said surfaces being equidistant from a center line extendingbetween them through the axis of said socket, another portion of saidplate being wider at one side of said center line than at the oppositeside thereof.

13. A last having a socket and opposed positioning surfaces formed uponthe outer sides of one portion of the heel part, the outer sides ofanother portion of the heel part having positioning surfaces formedthereon which are unequally spaced outwardly from a center lineextending midway between said rst-mentioned positioning surfaces throughthe axis of said socket.

14. A last having fixed upon its heel part a positioning plate having apositioning surface forrned upon one side thereof, said plate havingformed upon its other side directly opposite and parallel to saidpositioning surface a second positioning surface, said plate having atits said other side a lobe extending outwardly beyond said secondpositioning surface.

15. A last having a positioning plate upon its heel part, said platecomprising a positioning surface at one side thereof from which the edgeof the plate flares outwardly thereof, said plate having formed upon itsopposite side directly opposite to said first-mentioned positioningsurface another positioning surface from which the edge of the plate isrecessed inwardly thereof, the width of the plate between its recessedand flared edges being equal to its width between said positioningsurfaces.

16. A last having two sets of positioning surfaces upon its heel part,each of said sets being offset with respect to the other both laterallyand longitudinally of the last, the positioning surfaces at each side ofthe last being connected by a surface which is inclined to saidpositioning surfaces.

17 A last having two sets of positioning surfaces upon its heel part,the spacing of the surfaces of both sets laterally of the last being thesame, and a set of inclined surfaces disposed between and connectingsaid sets of positioning surfaces.

18. A last havi-ng a set of positioning surfaces of unequal lengths uponits heel part, a second set of positioning surfaces offset laterally ofthe last from said rst mentioned set, and a set of inclined surfacesconnecting said sets of positioning surfaces.

19. A last having a positioning plate fixed upon the top of its heelpart, said plate having a pair of opposed positioning shoulders ofdifferent lengths extending longitudinally of the last and disposedlaterally thereof in predetermined relation to the turning axis of thelast, said plate having a second setof positioning shoulders which isoffset laterally of the last from said rst-rnentioned set and isdisposed in a predetermined relation to the axis of the heel part of thelast, said plate having another set of shoulders inclined to andconnecting said sets of positioning shoulders.

20. A last having opposed positioning surfaces on its heel partextending lengthwise thereof and terminating at dierent distances fromthe heel end of the last, a second set of positioning surfaces offsetlaterally of the last from said first-mentioned set, and another set ofsurfaces inclined to and connecting said sets of positioning surfaces.

21. For use with a series of lasts including light and left lasts inpairs, positioning plates each having an asymmetric contour one part ofwhich is related to the heel part of the last and another part of which-is related to the forepart of the last, the plates being identical,fixed upon the heel parts of right lasts one side up, fixed upon theleft lasts the other side up, and with the relation between the rightlast and its positioning plate geometrically similar to that between theleft last and its positioning plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS810,594 Wright Jan. 23, 1906

